Marco Lorestan, the hero of this story, is the lesser-known brother to Mary Lennox and Sara Crewe (and I guess Little Lord Fauntleroy, which, unbelievMarco Lorestan, the hero of this story, is the lesser-known brother to Mary Lennox and Sara Crewe (and I guess Little Lord Fauntleroy, which, unbelievably, I have never read). I've always wondered why so few people have heard of this book, because Burnett's other stories are so famous, and the theme, about a clever, odd, out-of-place child coming of age in trying circumstances is very similar. It might be because all the characters are male and Burnett is not an especially convincing masculine writer; I think it probably also has a lot to do with the political overtones of the plot, which centers around the restoration of a fictional Eastern European monarchy. The story is engaging and exciting as always, but feels a little more legendary and less realistic than her other books, as it follows Marco and his friend Rat on an undercover mission across Europe to alert a secret society of Samavian patriots that the time has come to bring the Samavian royal line out of hiding. ...more

In combination with the [much better-crafted] A Little Princess of Frances Hodgson Burnett, this book shaped many years of my pretending to be an overIn combination with the [much better-crafted] A Little Princess of Frances Hodgson Burnett, this book shaped many years of my pretending to be an overworked starving orphan at the mercy of a cruel mistress who made me do chores. Any resemblance to my actual mother is probably exaggerated and not really fair, but I can't help what I thought. Other reasons I liked this book, which is entertaining and tolerably suspenseful the first time through although it's not by any means a masterpiece, include:

1) The heroine is named Emily2) She has a coat at the beginning which is green velvet with a white ermine muff, which became a staple in the wardrobe of ALL of my paper dolls long after I'd forgotten where it came from3) There are pirates.

A warning, though: the peppermints of the title are never really explained. They just kind of happen periodically. If you can figure out what they have to do with anything, I'm dying to know....more

I will admit to having read this book because I saw somewhere that J.K. Rowling liked it. Its good points are as follows: the details of the setting,I will admit to having read this book because I saw somewhere that J.K. Rowling liked it. Its good points are as follows: the details of the setting, the food, the clothing, and especially the castle are splendidly described and very appealing. The characters have a lot of personality and plenty of amusing foibles; the author clearly read Jane Austen. On the downside, Jane Austen-style character sketches clash very oddly with the sugary, way-too-sincere-and-moralistic tone of the plot. Also, it is REALLY sexist. I found the contrast quite jarring, because at times the writing was smart, sharp and engaging, and at other times I wanted to gag. It's like the author was trying to write for a very insipid genre that she was way too smart for. It's got a number of small (in that they're peripheral to the story) good moments and the overall plot makes for great lampooning. Read it on the airplane with someone else who can laugh at it. ...more

This is at the top of the list of obscure children's books that I read religiously and that no one else has ever heard of. Upon rereading last year, iThis is at the top of the list of obscure children's books that I read religiously and that no one else has ever heard of. Upon rereading last year, it turns out that the plot is a fairly simple Tolkienesque anti-McCarthyism story about the underdog folk triumphing over their enemies. I found the bad guys disappointingly flat and boring. The heroes, though, are reasonably well-drawn eccentric characters, and the world has a convincing mythology and sociology that's well-developed without being overdrawn. The best part is the town elites, who are named according to a mysterious code that no one understands, which are all common abbreviations in the world outside (Etc., Ltd., Co., and so on). ...more

I read this book a couple of times when I was younger. The first time I was fascinated, the second time I actually got bored and put it down, and theI read this book a couple of times when I was younger. The first time I was fascinated, the second time I actually got bored and put it down, and the third time I decided I could be a devotee for life. I've heard it's really different than the movie. It's also not what you might expect for a children's fantasy novel; it is weird in the traditional sense, eerie and a little spooky and with a thousand stories that never get resolved. It builds in a lot of mythology and a lot of surreal wanderings, and it's both densely detailed and superbly crafted overall. ...more

I haven't read this book in far too long--but it's kind of like what would happen if a millionaire died and made his will reading into a reality TV shI haven't read this book in far too long--but it's kind of like what would happen if a millionaire died and made his will reading into a reality TV show that worked like one of those murder mystery dinner parties. Actually, except for the TV part, it's exactly like that. I'm a little surprised it hasn't been picked up by Fox yet. But it's funny. It involves playing the stock market and patriotic songs and Halloween costumes. And multiple mistaken identities. ...more

This was another of my favorite random chapterbooks that I just recently rediscovered. A fairy who isn't supposed to talk to humans decides to help aThis was another of my favorite random chapterbooks that I just recently rediscovered. A fairy who isn't supposed to talk to humans decides to help a depressed, childless British woman have a baby and draws the ire of the very scary Fairy Queen. There isn't much more to it than that, but it's a fun read and it's dying to be made into either a paper doll series or a musical. It just has that vibe....more

If I ever have kids I want to do something for them that is this cool. Starting when his oldest son was three, Tolkein wrote long, elaborate, illustraIf I ever have kids I want to do something for them that is this cool. Starting when his oldest son was three, Tolkein wrote long, elaborate, illustrated letters to his children from Santa Claus, including notes from the North Polar Bear and from Father Christmas's secretary (who of course speaks Elvish). There's a new edition that reprints a lot of the letters in color, and it's fantastic....more

I stumbled on these in the bookstore one day...they aren't poetry but they read like they are, and they are every bit as charming as you'd expect. I tI stumbled on these in the bookstore one day...they aren't poetry but they read like they are, and they are every bit as charming as you'd expect. I think it's assumed they were written for cummings' daughter, who was estranged from him by her mother for most of her life....more